Morecambe 2, Portsmouth 2

A LATE goal from Jack Redshaw earned the Shrimps a share of the spoils at the Globe Arena.

Jake Jervis had twice given Pompey a first-half lead either side of a Mark Hughes header with Padraig Amond also missing a penalty for the hosts in what was a largely entertaining game.

It was a bright opening from both sides in difficult conditions, Alex Kenyon and Kevin Ellison both shooting wide from distance for the Shrimps before the visitors took the lead on 10 minutes.

Jed Wallace was given to much time to cross on the left and Jervis beat his man at the near post to slide the ball past Barry Roche in front of the ecstatic away following.

The Shrimps were almost level a minute later however, Andy Fleming shooting into the side netting from just inside the area after robbing Pompey of the ball 20 yards out.The home side continued to up the pressure and lived up to their reputation as the Football League’s comeback kings by levelling things up on 21 minutes.

In from the start, new loan signing Jamie Devitt kept a half-cleared corner alive and hung up a cross for skipper Hughes who looped his header over Trevor Carson, off the underside of the crossbar and in.

Portsmouth were then next to go close in an enterprising, end-to-end game on the half hour.

Jervis beat the offside trap and sprinted down the right before crossing for a sliding Wallace at the back post with Roche doing very well to smother the effort.

The game continued to twist and turn with the Shrimps awarded a penalty on 37 minutes.

Amond was felled by Sonny Bradley in the box and picked himself up to take it, only to see his effort well saved by Carson to his right.

And having looked like being ahead at the break the Shrimps went in behind as the visitors went ahead for a second time five minutes later.

Marcos Painter overlapped well down the left and his wicked cross across the six-yard box was turned home by Jervis at the back post.

After a quiet start to the second half, Carson spilled the first shot in anger from Fleming on the hour mark but his defence were on hand to scramble clear.

The midfielder had the visiting stopper worried again on 67 minutes, but his looping volley went narrowly over the crossbar.

But it was a half of few chances and it took a horrible moment for Carson to level things up 15 minutes from time.

Redshaw picked the ball up on the edge of the box and a tame shot from 15 yards squirmed under the body of the visiting ‘keeper and into the net.

The three points were then anyone’s for the taking and Robbie Threlfall came close to snatching them five minutes from time but his curling effort from distance went narrowly wide.

Redshaw then saw a long-range effort go straight at Carson in stoppage time.

But neither side could find a winner and had to settle for a point as Morecambe’s winless run moved to five games.